Traction chain



' Feb. 1,1939. E..ASHLEY" v 2,1 6 36 TRA CCCCCCCC IN Filed April 50', 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 7, 193 9. E. 6. ASHLEY TRACTION CHAIN Filed April :50, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m U6 maflakle PatenteclFeb. 7,1939 r 2,146,364

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE t; Kaywood Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich.,

l i l v a corporation of Miehigan l Application April 30, 1937, Serial No. 139,869

Claims. (01 152-228) This ,invention relates to motor vehiclev tire pairs of adjacent lug ends at one side of the chains, and more particularly to those that are tread of the tire, and intermediate pairs at the adaptedfor use on the heavy pneumatic tires other side of the tire tread. The pairs of ademployed on tractors. jacent ends at one side are connected to the chain ;5 Generally stated, the object of the invention l, by relatively short chains 5, which have hooks is to provide a novel and improved construction 6 at one end for engaging the chain I, and which and arrangement whereby a tire chain for this are connected at their other ends to the hooks 1 purpose is provided with ground-engaging tracthat extend through the side walls of the lugs 4, tion lugs that are disposed obliquely or at an anand then back a distance through one wall of gle, across the tread of the tire, in such a manner the same, in order to provide eyes 8 for the con- 10 that the chain attachment not only provides necting chains 9 by which the two adjacent lug satisfactory traction while the vehicle is in operends are flexibly connected together. It will be ationronl the bare ground, but also insures a' seen that the same connections are provided hesmoother travelof the vehicleon a hard pavetween the pairs of adjacent lug ends and the ment, V chain 2, at the other side of the tread of the tire.

. It is also an object to provide certain details Preferably, as shown, the lugs 4 are curved to and features of construction tending to increase fit the tread IU of the tire, as shown in Fig. 3 the general efficiency and desirability of a. tracof the drawings. The lugs 4, that are at the option tire chain attachment of this particular posite endsof the chain attachment, have their character. ends provided with chain eyes II, to which are 20 To the foregoing and other useful ends, the in attached the relatively short chains I2, that vention consists in matters hereinafter set forth have their outer ends provided with rings l3, as and claimed and shown in the accompanying shown. It will also be seen that the lug at one drawings, in which-- end of the attachment is provided with a link Fig, .1. is a plan view of a section of a chain l4 inserted through one link of the chain l2, and 25 attachment embodying the principles of the inthat this link I4 is large enough to have the vention. 7 other chain l2 and its ring l3 inserted there- Fig. 2 is a perspective of the same, shown in t o a Shown in 2 0f the w W e use on the pneumatic tire of a tractor, the two ends of the chain structure or attach- Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the tire and ment are brought around and coupled together the traction chain attachment on line 3-3 in on the tread of the tire. Portions of the chain 30 Fig. 2 of the drawings. 1 pass through the rings I3, when the attachment Fig. 4 isia detail transverse section of one of s coup ed together at its pp e d as Shown the metal lugs on line 44 in Fig. 3 of the in Fig.2 of the drawings. drawings. With the construction thus shown and de- 35 As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a scribed, which is illustrative of one form of the pair of chains I and 2, that form the side meminvention, the lugs 4 are not only effective for bers of the attachment, as these two chains are traction purposes, upon bare ground, but it is spaced apart at opposite sides of the tread of the also true that, because of the angularity of these tire, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and the lugs, the tires are capable of rolling more smoothopposite ends of each chain are then hooked to- 1y on a hard pavement. This is because each lug 0 gether, thus fastening the chain attachment 4 has, in effect, a progressive rolling or travelupon the tread of the pneumatic tire. Any suiting contact with the pavement, and because the able means, such as the connecting hooks 3, break in the continuity of this contact, between can be employed for connecting the opposite adjacent ends of the lugs, is relatively short. In 45 ends of each chain together, with the proper this way, the traction lugs 4 travel or roll almost degree of tightness or tension, in order to hold continuously on the pavement, Which ures a the attachment in place. I smoother travel of the vehicle on a hard pave- The ground-engaging traction lugs 4 are of ment, instead of with the jolting and bumping metal, like the chains, and are each preferably efiect that would result With lugs p ed trans- 50 channel-shaped, on their outer sides, as shown versely nd at rig t angles t ead 0f the in Fig. 4 of the drawings. It will be seen that the tire. With the construction described, each lug alternate lugs extend obliquely at one angle, practically comes down and engages the pavewhile the intermediate lugs extend obliquely at ment at one end thereof, and then, in effect, the opposite angle, whereby there are alternate rolls forward until it leaves the pavement at its other end, and as the distance between the adjacent ends of the lugs is comparatively short, it follows that the chain attachment thus constructed, in effect, rolls comparatively smoothly on a hard pavement, while at the same time it affords adequate traction on bare ground.

It will be seen that the connections 5, 8 and 9 are in the nature of loops, the two ends of which are secured to the flexible side members I and 2, with the loops at one side in staggered relation to the loops at the other side, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. For this purpose, two of the links of each loop are formed to provide the hooks l and 8 that extend through the flanges of the lugs 4, in the manner shown, so that the converging ends of each pair of lugs are connected together and to one of the side members by one of said loops. Thus, the oblique arrangement of the lugs on the tread of the wheel is insured. Preferably, as shown, the said lugs are each of the same depth, the channel thereof, from end to end, and the opposite ends of each lug are cut ofi square. In this way, the lugs can be made, obviously, by merely subdividing a channel iron into lengths suitable for the lugs, and the latter can then be bent or curved.

Thus, with the construction shown and described, which is illustrative of the invention, the traction members 4, ordinarily called lugs, are each disposed obliquely upon the wheel tread. with the alternate members disposed at one angle, and the intermediate members at the opposite angle, and each continuous chain formed by the elements 5, 6, I, 8, and 9 has its opposite ends attached to a side member, one or two, and has its middle portion threaded through the converging ends of the pair of lugs or traction members, and the latter are preferably rigid from end to end, and the opposite ends of each lug preferably project laterally a distance at opposite sides of the wheel or tire tread. Also each channel lug or member preferably has the same curve from end to end, and each end of the channel is open and overhangs the side of the tread, so that nowhere do these channel members engage the sides of the tire.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination with a wheel tread, an attachment therefor comprising a plurality of traction members arranged upon and transversely of the tread, with alternate members disposed obliquely at one angle, and with intermediate members disposed obliquely at the opposite angle, side members, and a continuous chain loop for each pair of converging ends of said traction members, each chain having its opposite ends spaced apart and attached to a side member at spaced points on the latter, and having its middle portion threaded through said converging ends, preventing the chain from extending upon the face of the tread, and so that said chains extend continuously through said traction members.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, each traction member consisting of a single rigid length of curved channel metal, with the channel thereof facing outwardly, and each loop passing through holes in the sides of the channel.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, each loop being formed in part by two hook links inserted through the traction member, with one tip of each link hereof inserted back in the side of the traction member.

4. A structure as specified in claim, 1, there being one pair of converging ends that are differently connected together to permit the removal of the traction attachment from the wheel.

5. In combination with a tire tread, flexible side members at opposite sides of the tire, flexible chains each having the opposite ends thereof spaced apart upon and fastened to a side member, at each side of the tire, forming a plurality of loops at one side in staggered relation to those at the other side, and spaced traction means connecting the loops at one side to those at the other side, while preventing said loops from extending upon the face of the tread, the width of each loop being substantially less than the maximum space in said traction means.

EDWIN 0. ASHLEY. 

